CFWS Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4) - Bremerton

State of Washington•Bremerton, WA

46d•Hybrid

About The Position

This Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4) position functions as a Lead Worker over Social Service Specialists (SSS1-SSS3) who provide professional-level social services to clients involved with the Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) unit. This position provides advanced specialized case management, coaching, mentoring, on-the-job training, and assistance in transitioning staff from a formal training program to fieldwork. This position assigns work, conducts case reviews, maintains procedures for efficient workflow, and acts as unit supervisor (SSS5) in their absence.

Requirements

Seven (7) years of paid social service experience AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.
OR A Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or Bachelor's degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND three (3) years of paid social service experience in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.
OR A Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or Master's degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND two (2) years of paid social service experience in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.
(A two-year Master's degree in one of the above fields that included a practicum may be substituted for one year of paid social service experience).
OR One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 3.
AND Commitment to equity, inclusion, and respectful workplace principles.
Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.
This position requires a minimum of at least two years of driving experience and a valid driver's license.
Employees must successfully complete the formal training course sponsored by their division within one year of their appointment.

Nice To Haves

Child welfare experience in program areas: Child Protective Services (CPS), Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS), Family Voluntary Services (FVS), Family Reconciliation Services (FRS), Family Assessment Response (FAR), and Adoptions/Permanency.
Case management experience with mandatory clients.
Knowledge of child development and/or family systems.
Professional experience working with clients who have mental health or substance use disorders, developmental delays, or criminal behavior.
Experience researching, interpreting, and applying Child Welfare laws, rules, and policies, and delivering services accordingly.
Experience with the agency's software program, FamLink.

Responsibilities

Serves as the lead worker assigned to cases, determined by the supervisor or Area Administrator.
Provides on-the-job training, mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation to staff.
Serves as a lead position over Social Service Specialists and Social Service Support Specialists (SSSS, SSS1, SSS2, and SSS3 levels).
In conjunction with the supervisor, assigns work, reviews work for efficacy, uses data to identify trends, and reviews case actions for accuracy.
Provides feedback and reporting to the supervisor on employees' performance and training needs.
Provides coverage of assigned caseloads in the absence of a Social Service Specialist.
In the supervisor's absence, attends meetings and provides supervisory coverage.
Prepares and provides testimony at administrative hearings, court proceedings, and criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings.
Refers, coordinates, and monitors delivery of services.
Provides goal-directed, task-centered, and time-limited crisis intervention to children and families.
Utilizes shared planning activities to obtain input from others to develop and coordinate collaborative case plans.
Trains, coaches, and supports Social Service Specialists in preparing court reports, court testimony, hearings, and proceedings.
Provides staff with guidance and training on caseload and time management, case actions, appropriate assessment, and intervention techniques.
Provides staff with guidance and training on applying the Safety Framework and Structured Decision-Making process to assess risk and safety through the life of a case.
Places dependent children in foster or other approved placements (if necessary, for the most complex cases).
Permanency Planning.
Utilizes FamLink to document case activities and maintain case records/files.
Prepares and files dependency petitions, guardianship petitions, and other legal documents related to the implementation of permanent plans.
Prepares court reports, serves summons, attends court hearings, and provides testimony in court.
Produces Discovery.